Colonoscopy prep.

[Rowgtfc72]

I'm about to be given an appointment for a colonoscopy. Have done a bit of reading off the Internet and wondered if anyone has any advice.
Is it just the 24hrs before that I have to have a liquid diet? Or is that the day of the prep?
I've seen the limited diet they recommend for 2 days before this. I'm suspected dairy and gluten intolerant- hence the colonoscopy. I'll struggle to eat things off the list. Also I will have to stop the immodium 3 or 4 days before the procedure. I struggle to leave the house without it.
How am I supposed to bike 5 miles to work, be on my feet in a manual job for eight hours and then bike home on very little food and no immodium? Is this something anyone has taken time off work with or would I only be allowed time off for the prep day?
I'm thinking sedation and that says no work for 24 hrs after.
Not sure how work are going to take this.
Do I ask for sick leave or would this come as annual leave?
Sorry for the millions of questions! Colorectal dept have rung but I am struggling to get back in touch with them and just trying to get things in place.

The diet only needs to be followed a few days before. Just nothing too fibrous or with lots of colour really. Most other things are OK. You need to specifically ask about the Imodium. You wouldn’t want it on the day of prep as the prep will do the same job! Give them a call when you can and ask for further advice. I had sedation and returned to work the next day.

What type of leave you depends on the policies where you work. My work seemed really reluctant to give it to me as planned sick leave. I had to work from home on prep day but there it a lot I can do from home, so I did the bit of mandatory trying in that was outstanding then just kept an eye in my emails and responded to anything that I could deal other from home. I had the day of the procedure as sick leave. I didn’t have sedation for my last couple as I had no one to drive me home afterwards. It was ok without.

The light diet is fine, but once you start the prep you need to be within easy reach of a loo starting from a few hours of taking it. There is no point taking Imodium once you start the prep as the goal is to clear you out completely

Only managing to get into work at the minute on the immodium, as prescribed by doctor. No problems stopping it for the prep but I may end up under house arrest!
Have looked at the list of foods I can eat and it's a catch 22 situation. I'm being investigated for whatevers causing the inflammation including dairy and gluten intolerance, which is a lot of that list. As a result I'm careful with dairy and gluten. Not sure how I'm going to manage 10 miles on my bike and an 8 hr shift on so few calories.
Its all irrelevant anyway if I'm not doped up on immodium.
I'm probably over thinking it, and the appointment may end up being over a weekend, fingers crossed.
Appreciate the replies though.

Are you still eating gluten? I ask because if they are testing for coeliac, you’ll need to keep eating it until you’ve had biopsies.

I eat low residue as I have ulcerative colitis and it’s fine. You can eat chicken, fish, white rice, jacket potatoes (no skins). There is plenty to keep you going and you’ll survive for a couple of days.

OP I have had a colonoscopy recently and I can tell you that once you start with the bowel prep you wont be able to be further than a few feet from the toilet. So that day of prep you need to take off as some sort of leave. At my workplace (NHS) this would likely be signed off as special leave. In the run up and whilst you are on the diet you are likely to be hungry- eat as much of whatever you CAN off the list. If you start to feel too ill to eork, well then that warrants ringing in sick- likewise with having to stop the immodium- if you start with diarrhea- again, that warrants ringing in sick. I would also say that the bowel prep tells you to drink additional fluids as you go- please take heed of this- I really struggled ( although did get some down) and there was still a slight residue in my bowel which nearly meant my procedure could not take place ( I had followed the dietary guidelines to the letter).

Docs put me through on a 2 week wait for cancer. Have very few of the symptoms though. Nurse i spoke to on Thursday said it sounds very likely the inflammation and bleeding is due to an intolerance and best to avoid dairy and gluten from now on. I'm reasonably good about avoiding them but I've certainly not eliminated them from my diet.

The fluid thing bothers me. I'm not a great drinker. 2 cups of tea and 500ml of water a day. Maybe a glass of juice. Drinking more than that's going to be a killer.

Its not too bad.

Basicaly white food on 2 days before the procedure. The list of foods is ok and choice but boring.

Depending on the time of the procedue you will have 24 hour of liquid diet. You will not want to be working at this time as you will also be having the prep and will need to be near the loo.

My appointment was 8.00am could have a small breakfast day before then no food only liquid until procedure. Prep was taken at 2.00 and 20.00 hour. I could have worked for half day but not after prep was started. Afternoon appointment you probably could have a light lunch da before then no more food until after procedure. First prep at 20.00 and then again next morning.

I had plenvu which was 500ml at each session. So not too bad to drink and I am not a big drinker.

It does seem much more daunting that it is.

Thanks everyone for the advice, it's appreciated.
Fingers crossed I get a date today.

You need to up your fluid intake significantly several days before the prep or you will get really dehydrated. I made sure I drank at least 1.5l of water on top of my usual drinks for several days before. You can drink a light coloured squash if it’s easier I stuck to lemon, lime or elderflower. This is particularly important if you are having bouts of diarrhoea any way and consider getting some electrolytes. I have microscopic colitis and when it flares I can dehydrate quite quickly.

Make sure you have barrier cream (sudocrem or nappy rash cream) to apply as you will get sore once the prep kicks in. You absolutely will not be able to work once you start with the prep.

Stop the Imodium as instructed and call in sick. Don’t assume because you are having regular diarrhoea that the prep won’t have much to do. It still works fairly drastically.

My last colonoscopy was with gas and air rather than sedation and I walked to a cafe to get lunch then got the Tube home.

Appointment is provisionally next thurs morning so assume they'll ask me to stop the immodium mon. I may as well knock it on the head through Fri as I dont work weekends. I'll definitely know by Monday morning if I can risk the bike ride in or not. Thanks for the tip re liquids @ChazsBrilliantAttitude I'll certainly give it a try.